The conventional Internet is a human-centric network in which humans generate and use information, while the current or future Internet, represented by the Internet of Things (IoT), will be an Internet where distributed components, such as an Access Point (AP), an object, and different types of devices, exchange and process information. Also, the Internet of Everything (IoE) concept has been introduced, in which IoT is combined with big-data processing techniques through connection with a cloud server and the like. Therefore, technologies for sensor networks, Machine-To-Machine (M2M) communication, and Machine-Type Communication (MTC) have been studied for connection between objects. As technological elements for implementing IoT, “sensing technology,” “wired/wireless communication and network infrastructure,” “service interface technology,” and “security technology” are emerging.
In an IoT environment, an intelligent Internet Technology (IT) service may be provided that collects and analyzes data generated from connected objects to create new value in human life. The IoT will be applied to the fields of a smart home, a smart building, a smart city, a smart car or connected car, a smart grid, health care, a smart home appliance, advanced medical care services, and the like through convergence and integration of existing IT technology with various industries.
As one of various procedures for supporting IoT, an initial setup procedure between an AP and a device is required. The most direct way for the AP and the device to implement initial setup is a method in which one of the AP and the device recognizes and confirms a setup request triggered by the other. Here, the AP and the device each are necessarily required to perform an operation for recognizing a user, that is, a button-pushing setup method (also known as a push-button configuration (PBC) method).
However, this PBC method requires an input means such as a button, and thus cannot be implemented in a device that does not provide a User Interface (UI). That is, the PBC method is inconvenient due to low usability and cannot be implemented in a device lacking a UI (UI-less device).
A User Experience (UX) for setup that can be commonly applied to IoT devices has also been proposed, and it is required to improve usability thereof.